


Return

by orphan_account, RougemageNick



Series: Just a RWBY OS full of OCs... [30]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Original Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-23 07:12:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4867814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RougemageNick/pseuds/RougemageNick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Team JNAS finishes their mission in the forest and returns to Vale to collaborate with Team SCRT and share their knew knowledge...The puzzle pieces fall into place as Team JNAS gets a surprise visit from the dangerous and seclusive Watcher...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Return

**Author's Note:**

> NOT FINISHED!!! I WILL BE ADDING MORE TO THIS CHAPTER!!!
> 
> Hello human friends, you know me as MZT. I apologize for the delay between updates...It does take me some time to get up to writing between caring for my personal circle...And it can take even longer to write them out when I do...
> 
> UPDATE: Hello humans, this is MZT...You may have noticed that RWBY hype is picking up steam...After taking note of a few things scattered throughout the recent clips we've been given by Roosterteeth, I have come to the conclusion that a small re-write of the story to come is necessary...I'm going to have to reanalyze the story in order to make it fit a little better alongside the canon...Thanks for your patience...

Return:

The sounds of the chaos outside the doors sounded distant and quiet against the ringing in Anna's ears as she stood up, catching her breath again. The tables and chairs in the room had been thrown and cracked by the fight that went on. Anna groaned, tightening her grip on the staff. Despite being tossed around, she didn't feel as tired as normal. Her elbows and ankles felt heavy to move, but she had to push through it. The aura that surrounded her flared again as annoyance filled her.

"I'm getting  **really** tired of being knocked around." she growled. Her cat ears twitched in response to her annoyance.

Sol laughed, "Get used to it...Mickey's arrogance is gonna cost her this time. She thought I would lose? To what? To this child? This  **faunus**  child?" he shook his head as Anna glanced quickly around the room, mapping it out over again in her thoughts. "So what exactly are **your** shortcomings? At first glance, I'd say...Malnourished...Probably underweight...Do you feel exhausted yet? Is your strength wavering?" he continued. Anna sighed, rolling her eyes as Sol continued to talk. She placed her palm against the metal of the axehead and her aura reacted to the metal. The blade extended out a few inches and curved back towards Anna a little more. "You won't last nearly as long as I can, little one...You're just as-"

"Oh my fucking gods, are you actually still talking? You called Mickey arrogant, but you probably jerk off to your own voice, don't you..." she shouted over him. The redness on Sol's face was just as satisfying as his silence. Anna smirked as his face turned more angry than flustered. He reached back on his belt and pulled out another dust canister.

"You...FUCKING LITTLE...BITCH." he growled. He pressed the cannister to the base of the staff. The crystals turned red as the fire dust filled up the staff. The canister fell off the end of the staff as he spun the staff in his hand and charged Anna again. Anna sighed, suddenly thinking of a boarbatusk when she looked at Sol. Anna dashed back out of the path of his swings. The heat of the flame that swam in the staff's wake hammered at Anna's upper body as she continued backward. Sol swung the staff faster and faster, flicking it around his wrist and turning it immediately back to his other hand, swinging at different heights each time. Anna's breath got heavier in the heat until she remembered the map in her head. She glanced backward for just a second and jumped up, flipping back and landing on a turned table. Sol stabbed towards her with the head of his staff, now covered in flames.

Anna leapt up over the strike, turning in the air and landing on Sol's shoulders. She didn't waste time in swinging her axe downwards towards his chest. Before Sol could try to shake Anna off, he had to raise his arms in front of himself, holding his staff laterally at arms length. The staff of Anna's axe slammed into his staff. The axehead, having been curved back, was just inches from the top of Sol's shirt near the base of his neck. Anna held the base of her axe's staff in her left hand and kept her right hand down near the middle of the staff, pulling it closer to her. Sol couldn't risk shaking her off, or else let Anna's axe sink right into his throat. He tried pulling down on the staff to pull Anna off, but she stood firm, tightening her grip and using the leverage to keep Sol in place.

"You know...It really is astounding...How  **did** you graduate? How did you  **ever** manage to survive?...All these muscles...All that bravado...But you haven't even managed to break a single bone...And as you can imagine...I'm not all that strong...To be honest, I'm probably alot like you...When you were young...Weak...But you...Have  **no** idea what I had to do to get here...You don't have  **half**  of the experience I have..." she growled through her breath. But for all the talk she had, she knew that she couldn't hold him down forever. Even with this leverage, he'd last much longer than she would in this. She had to find an escape route now, before she wasted too much strength.

"Don't you  **dare** mock me, you pathetic faunus!!!" he grumbled, still trying desperately to throw her off. The sounds of the chaos outside the doors was getting more focused in areas around them, while other areas had started to grow silent. Anna looked around again, quickly finding her way out. Anna suddenly released her hold, spinning the axe around as she jumped off of Sol's shoulders. In a sudden rage, Sol turned and swung his staff, unleashing the remainder of the fire dust in his staff in one huge wave of fire. Anna's aura couldn't protect her from the fierce heat, but it did at least help her stay safe through the knockback the wave had. She was thrown clean through one of the tables and against the wall, knocking the breath from her lungs.

Sol sighed, his own breathing becoming heavy as he reached for another canister from the back of his belt. Anna, still heaving air into herself, grabbed her staff and placed her palm against the metal of her axehead. The metal glowed slightly with the application of her aura as it shifted from the axehead and formed a katar dagger over her left hand, as well as a guard over her forearm. The staff opened and compacted slightly to form the single-edged blade, immediately upon the release of the axehead. Sol's staff had again filled up. The crystals shown deep emerald green as he stood on his feet. Anna climbed shakily onto her feet as well. For all the hits he'd dealt her, he hadn't done much damage to her aura, but instead put a strain on her body. She had to bring this to a quick end...Or at least hold out long enough for Mickey to finish off the forces in the fortress.

As he started to run towards her, she looked down at his feet to catch their rhythm and ran towards him after a moment. Sol swung the staff in his hand and brought it forward towards Anna in one final jab. The air whooshed around the staff as the earth dust gave it weight and force. Anna quickly brought up the longsword, crossing her arm in front of her and using the side of the blade to let the staff sweep harmlessly past her side. The blade quickly slashed right over Sol's head, which he only saved himself from by ducking down. Anna's katar immediately lashed out at Sol's right hand, which still held the staff. The point stabbed right through the back of his hand and knocked the staff free. He shouted in pain as Anna's knee came up right into Sol's chin...An attack that he'd ducked right into, and failed to defend against after his attention was diverted to the mind-numbing pain in his hand. She immediately brought her foot up to the top of Sol's chest and slammed her heel into his breast bone, tossing him onto his back, blood still spilling down his arm. Anna glanced at his staff, which she wouldn't be able to lift, so she instead moved quickly over Sol and brought her sword down so the blade brushed his neck.

"You're the second guy I've put in this position...The first one couldn't get up either. So do something smart for the first time in years and just stay right there." she commanded, narrowing her eyes threateningly and gathering her breath. Sol glanced past her at his staff, which lay in the cracked stone tile, still glowing with earth dust. If he could only touch it, he could absorb the dust and use his semblance again. But through the fight, Anna's quick reflexes had proven superior to his either way. Anna's katar shifted again as she applied what she had of her aura left to it, causing it to shift to a light rapier, the tip of which she placed on Sol's chest. The black metal adorned the handguard and formed the handle, while the purple had shifted to the blade. Anna recalled what Grant told her about the metal changing shades of color based on the strength of the atomic bonds, which made it much easier for her to form weapons of various strengths with it. Anna watched Sol carefully. It was clear he was looking around and trying to think of an escape. And although she had every advantage, no defense is perfect. She willed Mickey to finish up sooner in her head, to just get there already. She had to keep him occupied...

"So what was the 'message' you apparently sent Mickey, hm? What exactly was it that convinced her to come after you." she demanded, letting the blade slide back and forth along Sol's adam's apple.

"I killed the Draco Grimm in this area...After, of course, I gathered a force that could fight off the Grimm under it's control...And got them weapons..." he answered. It was obvious she was trying to occupy him. It didn't matter to him. The more he searched, the less he found. His only hope was his staff, which was now out of reach.

"How did you manage that? With the incompetence you've displayed, I find it rather surprising..." she taunted, stepping over him so she could have a more comfortable grip of the rapier, and also keep it on his chest. Sol glanced again at his staff...Which Anna was no longer standing in front of.

"All I had to do was keep it in a space where he couldn't use too much fire, or risk hurting himself too...I absorbed what he attacked with...And struck back...No matter how bad a position I'm in...I'll always find my way out!!" he suddenly swept his left hand under Anna's feet, knocking her over onto her side and causing her to drop the rapier. Her grip on her sword faltered slightly as her breath left her again. Then she realized...If she hadn't been on his left side, he wouldn't have been able to use his hand.

"Fuck me..." she muttered under what little breath she had Sol clambered to his feet. But instead of attacking Anna or even getting his staff...He went right for one of the doors.

'If I let Mickey catch me...I may not be able to escape...Even with my staff...I'll just have to come back for it...' he thought as he reached the door. As he grabbed the door handle, suddenly a large metal chakram slammed into the door, right above the handle. He glanced back at Anna, who was now on her feet after throwing the chakram, and was now running after him. The metal, caught in the wood, made the door stick fast. He groaned and ran for another door. He grabbed the handle, but before he could open it, it was suddenly thrown wide open as Mickey kicked it in. Sol was tossed onto his back again, and was immediately confronted by one of Mickey's fans, which she'd thrown right into the ground next to his head.

"Soool, my old friend...You weren't goin' anywhere, were you? No, you'd never run away from little Anna, would you?...Hehe, then again...Running was at least one thing you were good at." she threatened as Anna pulled the chakram from the wood and reformed her axe. Other than a few scuffs on her light blue armor, Mickey looked completely fine. Anna felt a pang of jealousy as she sheathed her axe. Mickey grabbed her fan fro from the ground and took a pair of cuffs from her pocket.

"What the...Do you always just carry a pair of handcuffs?" Anna asked as she sat down, trying to recharge.

Mickey smirked, "Only for special occasions...Or for trips out with my hot wife..." she responded, lifting Sol onto his feet and cuffing his hands behind him. "I'm going to get this one to the courtyard above and contact the rest of the team, as well as the Atlas forces to ok a pick-up for everyone here. While I'm doing that, I need you to go to the computer room, the second door down that hallway there, and use the computer to initiate a lockdown...I wanted to check on you before doing that myself...And it would appear it was good I did...Once they get here, they should also bring in a transport ship to bring us all home...Mission complete...Pat yourself on the back, kids..." she said, a smile forming on her face as she yanked Sol from the room. Anna stretched her aching limbs as she walked to the computer room Mickey had sent her to. She groaned, and rubbed her hands, trying to work out the ache. It felt like the first time she came to Beacon on that airship. The stress had made her body feel exhausted, even though she was more excited than ever.

The computers in the lab didn't look any different than any standard computer system she'd dealt with before, and the connection was great. Anna chuckled to herself as she realized she was critiquing the interface, which was surprisingly user friendly. But that was probably because the servers were right there, in facility. The lockdown sequence was easy to initiate, and she could even set a timer to allow herself to get up to the courtyard after Mickey. Atlas forces would probably lift that lockdown without a sweat when they came in to collect. As Anna walked, she still struggled to free herself from the ache. It didn't hurt as much as it used to, but it was still painful. Every day, training with her teammates to overcome this very ache...The ache she felt every time she finished combat. It never really left her thoughts. At this point though, tolerating it had become easier than just ignoring it. She'd tried that for years, and it never worked. The sunlight made her flinch when she finally opened the door to the above-ground courtyard. Sol was sitting against a tree stump in front of an artificial fireplace. Mickey stood messing with her scroll and occasionally glancing up at Sol to make sure he wasn't moving.

"There you are, small cat...How are you feeling?" she asked after a minute, when she finally stopped messing with her scroll. She sat down next to Anna, crossing her legs like Anna did.

"Ugh...Exhausted...And I hurt..." she groaned, glaring at Sol, who just looked away.

"Here..." Mickey said, pulling out a small bottle and undoing the cap, and pouring two of the small grainy pills onto her hand and offering them to Anna.

"Um...I-i don't really like medications..." she said, looking the small ovals over.

"No no...It's ginger and valerian pills...Totally natural...I have powdered bags of this stuff at home for tea when me or Alice have our period...They're for aching muscles and soreness...I keep em around just in case, you know?" she said, placing them in Anna's hand. She handed Anna her own bottle and unscrewed the cap. Anna closed her eyes and quickly swallowed down both pills, shuddering at the sudden sharpness of the taste on her tongue. She'd tasted ginger when she was a kid, but never valerian root...They didn't taste pleasant. But she did feel a slight improvement in the pain, and much more quickly than she thought it would.

"So...How are the rest of our team?" Anna asked casually, watching the sky turn darker as it worked closer to sunset.

"Well, they uh...They say they found something...Quite valuable, according to their message...Other than that, they say everything it in order...They'll meet us here in about forty minutes...The Atlas forces will be here in thirty...So their ship will be...All ready to leave. What do you say to a little late lunch slash early dinner?" Mickey asked. She grabbed a small plastic bag from her side, "Snatched this from their cafeteria...For a shitty vagabond force, they had some good food...The waffles are exceptionally tasty..." she said, pulling a small box from the bag and opening it up.

"You actually filled up a take-out box while you were fighting them?" Anna asked as she grabbed the peach yogurt cup.

"I thought you'd appreciate something to get your strength up after the fight...Nooow...Um...Do you remember what we were talking about before we got here? I completely forgot..." Mickey said, chuckling and looking back to Sol again to make sure he was still there.

* * *

 

The Atlas forces quickly swept through the entire bunker, rounding up every mercenary present there while they got statements from Anna and Mickey. And later, they sent out a small squadron to meet Sasha, Nick, and Jay on their way back to the fortress. Despite being informed of the situation though, the squadron made the mistake of trying to check the group for anything illegal. Mickey understood why they were ordered to do this, with them being so close to the area of Xellos' crash, and having this be the group who was closest to the case itself. Luckily for the three, Nick hid the scroll in his arm, and kept his own scroll on his person for them to find. Nothing was found, and they were let onto the Atlasian bullhead to be brought back home. Anna and Mickey told them about the fortress interior, and about Mickey's past with Sol. Mickey's brother, Tye Zephora, was put in a wheelchair for the rest of his life because of the incident at the fortress. Mickey and Robin, were the only ones to get out without injury...Or at least they'd thought so until Mickey heard about the killing of the Draco Grimm.

"He was really the only one who could have, I think...At least on his own...He may have been weak, and a coward, but...If anyone could bring it down, it's him. He couldn't have beaten the Grimm under it's control...But the Draco itself...I mean...Kids, let me tell you something..." she said, looking a little more seriously around at the group, "Grimm are more varied than even humans...If that's possible...Alot of Grimm...They're not the little Deathstalkers or King Taijitu you see just attacking us...They are...The true definition of demons...They're massive...They're smart...They're patient...A single Draco...Can be the size of an entire Mountain...And will live for centuries. You guys have to know...You guys...You're gifted...But I want you to promise that you'll never take on one of these ancient monsters alone." she demanded. The whole group, all a bit shocked to see Mickey so serious about this, agreed to the terms. On the way back, Mickey and Anna were told about the findings on the scroll. About the encounter with Xellos. About how he set up this entire mission with the knowledge that either they'd make it happen, or Mickey would. And finally, they told her about the message they asked them to give to Alice.

"What?? Is that a threat?? He knows my wife?!? Wait a minute...Ebony...I remember that name...She told me about him...He was that loner who said he was from Vacuo...I'm going to fucking murder Xellos..." she growled, clearly getting more and more angry as she thought about it. Mickey sat in anxious silence until they came into the field of service, at which time she immediately called Alice to make sure she was ok.

"What? Ebony was...Oh my gods...That's how he knew your name...I had no idea, Mickey...And I mean...It's not like he...He didn't threaten me, Mickey...He was friendly and didn't even come off as threatening..." Alice said to Mickey on the scroll. She was at home, cooking herself a huge indulgent lunch, just because she could, when she got Mickey's call. "And hey, on the bright side, you're coming home, right? I'll cook dinner tonight...I'm already in the cooking mood anyway..." she said. Mickey, clearly feeling overprotective, asked that Alice lock the doors and keep her knuckles close. Alice agreed to do so if it would make her feel better before they said goodbye until they got home.

When they finally got back onto Beacon grounds, they were greeted by Team SCRT at the gate, and quickly went to the cafeteria to get something to eat immediately. Mickey, however, had to report back to Ozpin immediately. Teams had started arriving back from their missions...At the end of the week, it was decided that normal classes would resume, and that the teams still out would be given pardons for missed work and lenient catch-up assignments upon their return. They carefully chose a table away from anyone who could listen before they began their conversation.

"So, when did you guys finish your mission?" Nick asked.

"Two or so days ago...You guys missed so much, there is just too much to tell you about...I mean between the car chase, the Grimm attack, the guys in comas...Holy shit..." Sam answered excitedly.

"Yeah? Wow, I'm kinda jealous...The most exciting thing that happened to us was our encounter with Xellos..." Sasha said, shaking her head and taking another bite of her sandwich. She stopped when she realized team SCRT were all staring at her in shock. "...What?..." she muttered.

"He was...Actually there?" the twins asked together.

Jay nodded, "Yup...And holy fuck, did he come bearing a gift. We've got a bunch of info now that could give us some...Warning...As to what it is will be coming for us..." he answered. He was already done with one of the two footlong subs he'd gotten, and was working on the second, and the potato chips, which he'd put in the sandwich.

"Oh!!!" the twins suddenly shouted together. They almost got the attention of students nearby, but quickly curbed themselves before speaking more silently, "Speaking of dangerous visitors...You guys need to be careful...You guys got a visit from an old mentor of ours...We think he'll come back, and if he does, you can't fight him...You just...Have to run, and hope you're fast enough." they warned menacingly.

"You can't be serious...Who the fuck is it now?" Anna demanded, popping the last of her grapes into her mouth. Although she'd taken them and the salad, she remembered the meal with Mickey earlier, and was trying to avoid eating much more.

"He's called the Watcher...If there's anyone who could give Mickey  **and** Xellos a run for their money, it's him...Especially with his Future Sight..." they answered, trying to keep their voices down.

"Wait...The Watcher left his home?...He never does that for anything less than what could be or control an entire army..." Nick said, glancing at Jay, who was looking back, also concerned.

"And what about him being dangerous? I've seen this guy before...He didn't look dangerous at all..." he said. He was about to take another bite of his sandwich before he stopped, "Wait, he was your mentor?" he asked.

The twins glanced at one another "Long story...So what about the gifts Xellos brought?" they asked, trying to change the subject.

Anna stopped, raising an eyebrow, "Wait wait wait...Look, if you guys are gonna insist that the subject be changed, we get to pick...Tell us about the car chase...That sounds awesome..." she insisted, continuing on her salad.

"Uh...Ok, that sounds fair...Well we still are trying to understand what happened ourselves...We had to go and investigate these weird markings, right? Appeared and disappeared without a trace...So we finally caught them in the act...And we got into this huge fight with these...Um...Well, it's hard to explain..." Sam said, scratching his head. He was almost done with his own meal, as was Rachel, who was trying to be silent, as she preferred it that way. But on the other hand, she was also trying to be more social, especially with her own personal circle. She was curious about her friends missions as well, but anyway she tried to explain it, it was still a struggle for her to eat, which is why she chose a small meal to begin with.

"We've got nowhere to be..." Anna offered, shrugging.

"Well these guys were hopped up on...Drugs, or some shit...They were unresponsive to pretty much everything...They just kinda...Functioned? Ish? They had alot of them...And no matter how hard we hit them, they just kinda seemed...Numb..." Sam started. Jay suddenly stopped, his eyes widening. "But the one guy...We think he was the one who they were there for? They were testing something on him...And leaving the results as marks for whoever was controlling them...Whoever it is in charge was watching them...Closely...The guy who was testing the...Whatever...Kinda drug they were testing...He was some sort of super fighter...I went toe to toe with this guy...And whatever he was one, he was much more powerful than he should have been." Sam continued. Jay's eyes widened as he finished the second sandwich. "And it was even worse, because even when I  **did** manage to damage him, he like...Regenerated..." he went on.

"What?...That's my thing, the fucker..." Nick grumbled. He stopped and glanced at Jay, who'd suddenly become very tense. Anna placed her hand on his shoulder and he glanced at her, each eye a different color.

"Jay, what's wrong?" she asked.

Jay's mouth opened and closed a couple times, "Sam...When he regenerated...You didn't happen to smell taste or see...Iron, did you?" he asked. All of team JNAS tensed up with him after they realized what he was getting at. Team SCRT looked between themselves.

"Um...Yeah...There was Iron residue on his skin when he healed...How did you know?" Sam asked, looking concerned.

Team JNAS all stood up at the same time. "We should go someplace less public, SCRT...We've got alot to talk about." Jay announced suddenly to them...

* * *

 

The door to Ozpin's office opened and Mickey walked in, sighing. Ozpin sat waiting for her, as he always was. Professor Goodwitch wasn't at his side at the moment, however. An odd and rare event for the Headmaster to not have his number two. His cane was propped up against his desk, and he was sipping a cup of coffee. Mickey pulled out the chair that was sitting at his desk, which he only ever put out for people who wanted to sit with him. Ozpin placed his fingers on the coaster of the second cup on his desk and pushed it across to Mickey. As a favor to her, this one had alcohol mixed in.

"So, Mrs. Zephora...What did your team find?" he said, getting straight to the point of the meeting.

Mickey took a heavy swig from the cup before a groan, "Look, if I could, I'd hand you whatever they found myself...But they didn't show it to me...They only told me about it...They found some scroll, apparently, with important information...From what I was told, it was pretty gruesome shit..."

"I can imagine so...I don't ask you to hand over what they found...That wouldn't be fair to them. They're the ones who are the farthest into this...Taking information from them would only hurt our cause...Let them analyze it and see what they think...Then, if they hand it over, so be it..." he said simply, taking another sip of coffee and lacing his fingers.

"Yeah...Thanks, Ozpin...Look...Whatever information they tell me, I'll share with you, ok? In exchange for Beacon's total support and cooperation." she demanded, slowing down on her cup.

Ozpin sighed, "Unfortunately, I don't believe that will be possible any longer."

Mickey put her cup down, "What? Why not? These kids need help with this...I can understand letting them lead the way, but they still need to have-"

"Mickey. I know how you feel. But as I said...It is no longer possible. The Atlas Council has decided that until the Vytal Festival has ended, General Ironwood is to be in charge or security and military operations...Which would include the handling of any information Team JNAS or Team SCRT has acquired involving this case. If they give away the information they have...It is likely they will then be removed from the case, and General Ironwood will handle it as he sees fit." he interrupted her.

Mickey groaned again, taking a bigger sip, "Fuuuck...This isn't about that whole breach, is it? But Beacon forces came in and cleaned it up no sweat...That was us, why are they letting Ironcock take over!!" she grumbled, taking another sip.

"The council gave credit for the quick response to Ironwood and his forces...It is out of my hands. I cannot promise support for your students...You could always attempt to persuade Ironwood to let them stay on this, but...Your odds are slim, and we both know it." he said, taking a sip of his coffee immediately after.

Mickey sighed, spinning her cup on the coaster and thinking to herself. "Whatever's happening...There isn't anyone anywhere who knows a damn thing about it other than these kids...They're the ones who can stop this...Some huge military movement will scare off whoever is doing this, or at least it's going to make them quiet down until this storm passes...And what happens when it does, hm?...These kids are the first on the chopping block, and I won't let it happen...There has to be something you can do..." Mickey said, finishing her cup and putting the mug aside.

"There is...I can look the other way...Or at least...I can be their stage diversion..." he answered. Mickey raised an eyebrow in question. "Do you trust these students to handle this? If they have what they need?" he asked. Mickey nodded, leaning forward now. "Then I will let them act as they see fit...And I will not let anyone pry into the matter...On the condition that you keep close to them...Watch them carefully, and keep me updated on their situation...If the situation were to arise where they would need the support of a larger force, then and only then will we bring Ironwood into it...But whatever action they can take on their own, or with their own resources...I shall make sure they are allowed to take those actions...For as long as I can." he offered.

Mickey rubbed her temples, trying to think clearly, "I...Suppose...If that's all that can be done...Then...I accept...I'll try to pass you whatever information I can...Thanks for your help..." she muttered, standing up and pulling out her scroll. "Here...Full mission report, sending your way."

"Mickey...I've gotten this far in my life trusting my instincts...And that's not always been easy, wise, or even the right choice...I'm willing to say that through my mistakes, I've learned to see the mistakes others will make if they do the same...I'm entrusting this to your students on my instincts...But remember, that their instincts will not always be the right choice. If you believe the situation requires outside help, but your instinct says different...I ask that you consider the cost of being wrong...Good luck..." he said as a parting comment. Mickey sighed and walked to the elevator door, which opened upon her approach. The doors closed behind her, and she was left in bitter silence on the way down. She bit her lip and mentally kicked herself, although she didn't understand why. When the door opened, she almost walked headlong into Professor Goodwitch, who stood waiting just on the other side. They both stopped an inch short, however, before stepping back and moving around eachother.

"Glynda." Mickey muttered.

"Mickey." Goodwitch muttered back. Glynda stepped into the elevator and turned. Before the door closed, she called out again, causing Mickey to stop and look back. "I hope your...Mission...Was successful." she called in a knowing tone. Mickey's eyes widened as the door elevator door closed between them.

Mickey sighed and turned around, thinking about Alice waiting for her at home..."I need another drink..." she muttered under her breath.

* * *

 

Both teams sat in team SCRT's room, which was filled with silence as Sam flipped through the files on the scroll Nick had handed him. He shook his head in disgust. The twins, who were watching over his shoulder also shuddered in silence, speechless at the images and reports. It reminded them of what happened that night after their car chase. Sam and the twins both sat on the bottom bunk on the left side of the room. Rachel, not wanting to look at the images herself, sat on the top bunk instead, her feet hanging off the bed to Sam's left. Nick sat up with Sasha on the bunk opposite him, with Jay and Anna both sitting on the top bunk, silently playing a matching game with their hands, not wanting to disturb the group as they read through the files.

"So...What do you think?" Nick asked, finally breaking the silence.

Sam closed his eyes and the scroll, thinking through the images he'd seen. "I've seen things like that before...And to be honest, it never gets easier to look at..." he answered, swallowing his anger as the twins sat back against the wall. Sam extended his arm and Nick took the scroll from his hand, replacing it in his prosthetic and closing the panel. His own scroll had been placed inside his pocket to allow him to hide this one.

"It's not pretty...But we have an opportunity...Or at least we will..." Nick said in response, lacing his fingers in front of him.

"What opportunity could come from this..." the twins muttered together, both sitting criss-cross now and keeping their hands tightly gripping their knees.

"The opportunity to stop it...We believe that the perpetrator of these experiments is coming for us...A stupid move on their part..." Sasha answered immediately, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees.

Jay glanced down from his and Anna's hands, "Indeed it is...Essentially they're walking into a lions' den...In which we still have homecourt advantage...With Ironwood's forces here, they can't risk any sort of big movement against us..." Jay started.

Anna also glanced down at them, "Plus we know they're coming...So there isn't a point to any surprise element...Any small force won't be enough to take all of us on, and anyone who's powerful enough to do the job alone would at least need us to be all together."

"In a place where we couldn't scatter" Jay continued.

"Or make an uproar that would give them away." Anna finished.

"So you see they're really fighting by our rules here...Thanks to Xellos, at least...And now not only do we know they're coming, but we have an accurate assessment of their abilities and resources..." Jay said, smirking and returning to his game with Anna.

"How are you being so...So...Unattached to this??...Doesn't it make you angry?" Sam growled, looking up at Jay. Jay's smirk disappeared at the rare display of anger from Sam. It wasn't something he'd seen yet.

"Look...For one, I had to put alot of people to their deaths to save others when I was travelling. Unattached isn't difficult...It's how I control the board. And two, of course it makes me angry. I mean for gods sakes, I'm completely engulfed with rage...But use your head...Do you want to get rid of that rage now? I don't...Use it up now and it's not nearly as potent when you need it...No, save it for the people who deserve it...Save it for when you finally get to crush them like the spine of a grim." he spoke with as level a tone as he could manage before returning his attention to Anna.

Sam sighed, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. After another minute, he sighed again, "Alright...Fine...I'll do it your way...But how about you guys give us the scroll...You're the ones they'll search for it...And you're the ones who'll get in far more trouble for having it...At least if it's hidden with us, we can say we didn't know what was on it or that you'd given it to us...And that way you guys will be free from worry..." Sam started. Nick stuttered for a minute and glanced at Sasha.

"It does seem like a good idea...And if we give it to them, we'll be able to pass it back and forth freely as we need..." Sasha answered his gaze.

"Plus, we can hide it far more effectively than you guys could...No offense, but it's just undeniable..." the twins added, leaning forward on either side of Sam.

No one could argue against that, Nick thought. He glanced up at Jay for a second to confirm. Jay gave a quick nod, knowing he'd look up at his co-team leader to make the decision. Nick opened the panel in his arm and removed the scroll, handing it across to Sam, who slipped it into his pocket before standing. The twins moved to swing their legs out behind him so they could stand as well.

"Alright...We're going to go hide this immediately...And get some lunch. But lunch is an afterthought...Anyway, you guys should get going to..." he said. Suddenly the room was filled with movement as the twins stood up and moved away from the beds while Sasha and Nick stood. Rachel dropped from the top bunk and stood by the wall, trying to avoid interaction as best she could. Jay and Anna also dropped from their seats, stretching themselves out and heading towards the door. Everyone filed out of the room before Sam closed and locked the door behind him. The teams each gathered next to eachother before simply turning and heading off in their own direction.

 

Team JNAS walked slowly back to their dorm. It felt like ages since they'd last been there, and everyone looked forward to the chance to finally lay down in a place they were comfortable in. As they approached their dorm, Nick suddenly stopped, feeling something in the back of his neck. A brooding feeling that froze his hand in place before he could unlock the door. Jay sighed and pulled out his own scroll, moving to unlock the door.

"Wait, stop!!" Nick said, but before he could grab Jay's hand, the door was unlocked and opened. Although it was their familiar dorm, an unfamiliar sight greeted them. The room had been completely covered in darkness, a black curtain hung in front of the window to block the light. The beds had been pushed aside haphazardly, and in the center of the room was a small circular table, above which was hung a solitary torch which lit the room with an eery dim glow. At the table was seated a man with long brunette hair, hung up in a ponytail. The lines under his eyes were pronounced in the dim light, and on the table sat a small box that looked like it could fit a deck in it...And Mr. Gump, who was getting his head tapped gently by the hand of the Watcher. Mr. Gump didn't even seem to care about the Watcher's tapping, and instead showed a reaction to the team he recognized as his people. Anna's eyes widened, and she was the first to dart into the room to scoop Mr. Gump off the table as he started walking towards her.

She grabbed him and took a large step back, "What the fuck do you think you're doing to my tortoise?!?!" she shouted angrily. The Watcher chuckled lightly as the rest of the team stepped into the room. The door closed slowly behind them, and when they turned to see it, they found four chairs placed neatly behind them. Chairs that had clearly not been there when they stepped in.

"Have a seat, won't you..." the Watcher asked silently. The menacing silence filled the dim room and made the Watcher seem like the biggest person in the room. Nick knew he was taller, but suddenly didn't feel that tall as he sat down slowly with the rest of the team. "I apologize for touching Mr. Gump, I just couldn't help myself...He's such a friendly face..." the Watcher said, glancing at the tortoise in Anna's lap with a smile. Anna growled at him before he turned his gaze back to his box. "Anyway...Where are my manners. Welcome back to Beacon...I trust your mission went well? Did a fine job of keeping the kingdom safe, did you?" he asked in what sounded like a genuine tone, but was also filled with confident arrogance. No one answered. "Right..." he muttered as he opened his box. He pulled out a deck of cards and began shuffling.

"What's the point in shuffling if you can see what you'll draw?" Nick muttered, feeling his voice get lost in the silence.

The Watcher chuckled again, a light lofty sound, "I'm not as dependant upon my Semblance as you think...I can see the future, but it's just as fun to find to read it in my cards..." he responded casually, before placing the cards down in front of him. "Who wants to try their luck first?" he asked, crossing his arms. No one moved...The Watcher raised his eyebrow, "I'm waiting..." he said quietly. The words sounded much more ferocious in this atmosphere. Sasha was the first to stand, breathing in and stepping forward, taking a card from the top of the deck and placing it face down in front of the Watcher. She stepped back and sat down in her seat again.

"Well then, let's see your past." he flipped the card as he spoke, which showed a snake wrapped around a woman, who was covered by a long flowing cloth. In the background was Remnant. "The World...So you found what you were looking for in the forest? I do hope it's given you the completion of mind you were hoping for..." he said. "Next..." he said, looking around at the team. Anna was the second to stand, still holding Mr. Gump in her arms as she walked forward and took another card, placing it face down over the first. The Watcher nodded to her as she sat back down. He flipped the card without looking. The card displayed an angel with a long white gown and two golden chalices, "Temperance...You may already know this, but the best thing for you right now is patience...Stand tall and keep your heads level for what's to come."

"I mean no offense, but what exactly are you doing...And besides, don't you usually only do this for payment? Did you come here just to let us draw cards?" Jay grumbled, crossing his arms.

The Watcher looked to him, "Why Jay, I've already been paid...And of course not...This is just the fun part." he insisted, smirking and glancing at Nick. Nick stood and stepped forward, taking a card from the deck and placing it over Temperance. "Your future is of course..." he turned the card over, keeping his eyes on Nick's as he sat down, "The Chariot...What a journey you have ahead...But do try to ride through it...You'll find your victory if you do." he said silently, smiling and taking his cards and replacing them in his deck and putting them back in his box. Before Jay could speak up again, the Watcher put his hand up to wave him quiet again. "You should know I'm not here for trouble...Your friends in Team SCRT are quite worried about you...The tournament is coming up...The Arena has already arrived...I recommend going...If for nothing else than to just take a break...You might find it fun...Now...I was paid more than I can tell you to come here and give you a piece of advice...Don't be afraid to challenge him head on. You will have plenty of support. But you will  **not** receive the support of the General. Your teacher...Mrs. Zephora, I believe...She's just found that out herself...But you won't need the General." he said simply.

"Is that it? Who paid you? And how did you know that we wouldn't receive help? Or about Mickey just learning that..." Jay growled.

"Calm down, young Overstrand. You already know who paid me. He gave you the same thing he gave me. The only difference is that information being a business to me...He asked me to do something in return...But then again, he's also asked quite alot of you as well...Anyway...I do hope that with my advice you can act a little more...Freely...And with less worry...I should be going now." he said, standing up and moving out from behind the table. Team JNAS also stood up and parted as he walked past them.

"H-hey, wait...You can't just leave our room like this!!" Sasha demanded, almost reaching out to grab his shoulder. But Nick's hand quickly grabbed hers. They shared a glance and Nick cautioned her against doing what she was going to do.

Without looking back, the Watcher spoke up again, "Thank you Nick...And don't worry...My friends will return this room to as it was." he muttered as he opened the door. As soon as the door closed behind him, there was suddenly a flood of light into the room and a light click. The whole team turned around to find their beds replaced in their original positions. The table had vanished, and the curtain had been pulled away. The window had been closed behind whoever had done this. The team turned again...Even the chairs they'd sat on had been removed.

"What...The actual...Fuck..." Anna muttered incredulously...

* * *

 


End file.
